Depression in Children

DEPRESSION IS INCREDIBLY COMMONMood disorders are among the most common mental health problems experienced by children and adolescents. These disorders can affect one in every five young people at any given time. The symptoms and the severity can vary widely, and the diagnosis can be easily missed.

THE DISORDER can affect every aspect of daily life, at home, at school, and with friends. It is crucial for parents and teachers to be familiar with the different disorders and symptoms in order to facilitate treatment and recovery.

Children and adolescents can experience depression differently from adults. An adult’s depression usually manifests in feelings of sadness, hopelessness, fatigue and worthlessness, as well as poor concentration and suicidal thoughts. For younger people the symptoms can be irritability, mood swings, social withdrawal, drug use and academic deterioration.

CAUSES OF DEPRESSIONDepression seldom has a single cause. Many times it is difficult to pinpoint the reasons. Contributing factors can include:

Heredity — depression and mood disorders often run in families.

Biology — brain chemistry can be out of balance.

Psychodynamic — social and emotional difficulties can lead to depression.

A professional consultation can help put things in perspective and prevent a missed, or inaccurate, diagnosis.

TREATMENTS AVAILABLEThe best results occur when the right combination of treatments is coordinated between parent and providers. Treatment may include:

Psychotherapy — both talk and play therapy can be of tremendous help in helping people to mature, gain perspective and improve mood.